PT SBI targets to begin exporting 450,000 tonnes of cement to the US by the end of May 2026

Jakarta — PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia Tbk (SBI), a subsidiary of PT Semen Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (SIG), targets exports of around 450,000 tonnes of cement to the United States throughout 2026 as part of the company’s strategy to expand its market, with shipments beginning in late May. SBI Chief Executive Rizki Kresno Edhie Hambali said the first exports will be shipped from the integrated dock and production facility in Tuban, East Java.

‘This year we are exporting around 450,000 tonnes. So gradually from late May this year until December,’ Rizki told journalists at the company’s Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and Public Presentation in Jakarta on Friday.

He said the exported volume is projected to rise gradually to around one million tonnes by 2027.

Rizki noted that exports will be one of the company’s growth engines in the coming years, estimating that exports could contribute around 10 percent of total revenue within three years. ‘Exports will be one of the growth engines,’ he said.

Rizki explained that the US cement market still has an import requirement of about 25 million tonnes per year, opening opportunities for Indonesian cement producers. He said current US cement imports largely come from Vietnam and Turkey, with SBI’s main competitor for shipments to that market being Vietnam. Nevertheless, Rizki assessed that the logistics cost gap with Vietnam is not very large. ‘My calculation shows a difference of about 1-2 US dollars per tonne for transport costs,’ he said.

He added that exporting to the United States is not solely about price, but also serves as evidence that Indonesian cement quality can be accepted by international markets. ‘That is something we as Indonesians can be proud of. The quality of the cement we produce at our Tuban plant can be accepted by the US market,’ he said.

SBI Operations Director Edi Sarwono said the Tuban plant has undergone certification processes to meet US market standards. He noted that the Tuban facility is designed to be cost-competitive due to its flexibility in using fuels and alternative raw materials. ‘Our Tuban plant is designed to be cost-competitive,’ he said.

Amidst stiff competition in Indonesia’s cement industry, SBI believes exports can help reduce the imbalance between domestic supply and demand. The company notes that utilisation of Indonesia’s cement industry is currently around 53.9 percent of total installed capacity of about 124 million tonnes.

In addition to expanding export markets, SBI said it will maintain profitability through operational efficiency, strengthened customer service, and digital transformation in the marketing and production sectors.